13 Video Game Protagonists Who Refuse To Die

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Among the characters such as Guts, Goblin Slayer, Darth Maul, Rambo, and Wolverine, there is a shared trait: They seem to be immortal or keep coming back from the dead.

Reaching the zenith of bravery, these individuals dance with danger, and it’s truly awe-inspiring to witness their resilience as they rise again and confront seemingly impossible obstacles.

In most video games, characters can seemingly come back to life through gameplay elements, but there are unique ones who seem invincible and always manage to survive even in the face of overwhelming odds and grievous wounds.

We’re going to evaluate video game heroes who persistently resist giving up, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, and whose continued survival forms a key part of the game’s storyline.

In our analysis, we’ll focus on characters hailing from video games, meaning characters such as Deadpool from comic books won’t apply because comic book characters have a reputation for not staying deceased.

In some narratives, certain characters meet their demise at the end, yet this occurs not out of compulsion, but rather through a conscious choice on their part.

Spoiler Warning: Potential spoilers for the fate of these characters!

13.
Ellie And Abby

The Last Of Us Part 2

In the game “The Last of Us Part 2”, characters Ellie and Abby demonstrate an unyielding resilience, as their capacity to endure countless life-threatening situations showcases their exceptional strength.

In comparison to the divine beings and extraordinary individuals featured here, Ellie and Abby appear remarkably ordinary to most. Despite their frequent violent encounters causing harm to one another, neither seems susceptible to typical injuries, showcasing an extraordinary resilience.

Experiencing Joel’s brutal murder by Abby and her gang fueled my determination to test the boundaries of my physical endurance, driven by a thirst for retribution. I’ve been struck down by bullets, knives, and even lost pieces of myself. Remarkably, Abby persists against all odds, risking death multiple times, solely to secure a second chance at life for herself and Lev.

Despite the intense confrontation, neither character takes the other’s life. In a somewhat melancholic conclusion, Ellie endures significant losses while Abby and Lev embark on a fresh journey together.

12.
Dante

Devil May Cry

Born from the mighty Demon Knight Sparda, Dante boasts an extraordinary regenerative ability that ensures his survival against even the most severe torments. This remarkable trait enables him to casually recover from a wide range of injuries, including those that would typically result in dismemberment for ordinary beings.

In nearly every game within the Devil May Cry series, there’s a recurring joke where character Dante frequently ends up being stabbed with his own sword.

In DMC5, he deliberately inflicted a wound upon himself with the intention of blending his human and demonic aspects, thus giving birth to his latest Shin Devil Trigger form.

Dante doesn’t rank higher on the list because there aren’t numerous examples of him recovering from near-death situations by using nothing but his determination. Although he has endured numerous impalements, it appears that severe injuries are just minor obstacles to him.

In the Netflix version, not only was he stabbed with his own sword, but also his head was exploded – yet remarkably, he managed to live through it.

11.
The Player

Slay The Princess

You may find it hard to believe, but despite your character seemingly meeting a countless number of gruesome ends – being stabbed, disemboweled, beaten, and reduced to bloody rags – they miraculously reappear in the game “Slay the Princess” yet again.

Essentially, this nameless protagonist cannot be defeated because they secretly embody The Long Quiet, an immortal entity who serves as a counterpart to the Princess or the Shifting Mound. Their unique perspective of the Princess influences not just her appearance but also the inner voices that echo in their mind.

If we adhere to the textbook description, it means we’ll be concentrating on a character named Voice of the Stubborn, who has the power to overexert one’s physical abilities simply to defy death. In different scenarios, each time your character encounters Stuborn, they can force their way through any obstacle due to sheer spitefulness, regardless of what challenges the Princess presents.

Regarding battles with ships such as The Adversary, The Fury, The Razor, and The Eye of the Needle, among others, it is important to note that despite the significant harm these versions of the Princess inflict upon you, your character remains resilient and continues to engage in combat.

Not only does Stubborn’s encouragement spur you on during tough times, but it also adds an extra dose of coolness to those moments.

10.
B.J. Blazkowicz

Wolfenstein

In terms of combating Nazis and fascists, there’s no one more suited for the task than B.J. Blazkowicz from Wolfenstein. Nicknamed “Terror Billy” by his adversaries, Blazkowicz is the bogeyman of oppressive regimes, and a man of great strength.

A devoted American nationalist embarks on a relentless struggle against the Fourth Empire, known as the Nazis. John Blazkowicz endured the fiery pits of war only to continue battling these enemies, simultaneously offering aid to the oppressed and working tirelessly towards liberating his homeland from the grip of fascism.

In a memorable scene from the game “The Old Blood“, protagonist Blazkowicz manages to endure longer than a superhuman Nazi soldier during a quick-time event involving stabbings.

Even if Frau Engel had beheaded him in “The New Colossus,” it wouldn’t have been the end for him, as we later discover that his allies were preparing to transfer his head onto an advanced supersoldier body in experimentation. With this new form, Blazkowicz becomes even more relentless.

His rough exterior might deceive you, but remember, Blazkowicz is filled with deep and thoughtful insights. After completing the game, I still find myself going back to watch the scenes again, simply to appreciate the beautifully crafted dialogues.

9.
Ethan Winters

Resident Evil Village

Ethan Winters serves as the main character in both “Resident Evil 7” and “Resident Evil Village.” He has endured immense hardship not only against the Baker family, but also under the relentless torment of Mother Miranda and the hazards that plague the village.

In the role of a video game hero, Ethan Winters exhibits remarkable resilience, showing an uncanny ability to keep on living despite the severe injuries he endures repeatedly. Time and again, he’s been attacked, wounded, and disfigured, but amazingly, he manages to recover with a dash of healing potion.

It appears that Ethan has been in a state of technical death since Jack Baker infected him with mold in Resident Evil 7, which accounts for his extraordinary healing powers and relentless determination to save Rosemary from Mother Miranda.

At the close of the game, Ethan only releases control when he chooses self-sacrifice to detonate the Megamycete. Interestingly enough, even after his selfless act, his awareness continues to exist, guiding Rose through the DLC.

8.
Talion

Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor

A video game hero’s persistence in living often stems from a strong thirst for revenge over the loss of their loved ones, and that certainly applies to Talion from “Shadow of Mordor.

Following the brutal slaughter of his loved ones by Sauron’s Orc army to invoke the ghost of Celebrimbor, Talion himself undergoes a ritual sacrifice together with his family. However, instead of perishing, he and Celebrimbor inexplicably combine, resulting in an indestructible spirit being.

In the game, Talion views death as little more than an annoyance, which is skillfully portrayed through its Nemesis system. Notably, the game keeps track of your deaths and actually boosts the power of the Orc who claimed your life, making him even tougher in future encounters.

7.
Titus

Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2

Space Marines from Warhammer 40k are renowned for their superhuman lethality and durability, representing the peak of Imperial bioengineering. They can withstand injuries that would be fatal to a typical individual. However, in the grim and distant future, not even an Astartes is immune to the certainty of death.

In the fanbase of Warhammer 40k, there’s a recurring joke: Characters in this series, such as Calgar and Guilliman, seem to possess an almost unbreakable protective shield due to their tendency not to die or stay dead. This becomes even more pronounced when these characters have miniature figurines of their own.

In the series of both games, Space Marine and its follow-up, Lieutenant Demetrian Titus, an Ultramarines Primaris Space Marine and the main character, consistently finds himself in circumstances where any ordinary Space Marine would not have made it out alive. His resilience is exceptionally robust, almost as if he has a protective shield of invincibility.

Despite not originating as a video game character himself, Titus made his debut in the initial “Space Marine” game.

Titus’s most notable trait is his incredible ability to withstand the corrupting influence of Chaos and the disorienting powers of the Warp, essentially a cosmic version of Hell.

Besides enduring that, he not only survived grueling torment by the Inquisition but also battled seemingly impossible adversities as part of the Deathwatch. Later, he re-joined his Chapter in “Space Marines 2.” Indeed, Titus embodies the concept of invincibility.

6.
Sekiro

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

In most Soulsborne games, the main characters are lore-wise immortal, as the Undead from Dark Souls cannot truly perish, Bloodborne’s Hunter is repeatedly reborn by the Moon Presence, and in Elden Ring, the Tarnished can’t die because the Rune of Death was taken away.

In other words, among all the characters on this list, Sekiro seems to fit the role of the main character the most effectively due to its unique connection between the game’s story and mechanics, where it is possible for the character to be resurrected after death during combat.

As a gamer, I find myself deeply engrossed in the world of Sekiro, where the storylines and secrets often revolve around the concept of immortality. My lord, Kuro, possesses a unique bloodline that makes him virtually indestructible, thanks to his connection to the Dragon’s Heritage. This same blood was shared with me, the shinobi, granting me an extraordinary ability – the power to rise again and again when I fall in battle.

In the world you inhabit, the Mortal Blade is the sole weapon capable of ending an immortal life. Unfortunately, Sekiro’s revivals are limited due to his connection with Kuro’s tainted blood. This ties him and the nearby characters to a malady known as Dragonrot, which can lead to their stagnation if he resurrects too often.

5.
Zagreus

Hades

In the game “Hades” by Supergiant, you control Zagreus, a character who is the son of Hades and Persephone. Despite repeatedly dying, he relentlessly strives to break free from the underworld. This makes him seemingly indestructible.

In the story of Hades, the recurring motif is the endless cycle of death. This is because Zagreus has a unique power: he can resurrect from an underworld pool after dying. From another point of view, this could be seen as a curse. What’s more, his persistent desire to leave the underworld fuels his repeated battles against his father’s defenses.

To Zagreus, death serves as a barrier hindering him from reconnecting with his mother and discovering the secrets of his origin. Despite the conclusion of the game’s narrative, Zagreus persists in fleeing the underworld, merely for amusement.

One must imagine Zagreus happy.

4.
Scorpion

Mortal Kombat

As we draw near to the point where a local man refuses to be defeated, let us start with Scorpion, the renowned symbol of the Mortal Kombat series.

Indeed, nearly every character in this series has met their demise at least once. However, before the timeline reset in Mortal Kombat 1, Scorpion was always depicted as Hanzo Hasashi, a vengeful spirit resurrected from the dead to avenge his family’s brutal killing by Sub-Zero.

In many ways, whether Scorpion can truly be considered the primary protagonist of the Mortal Kombat series is questionable, given that Liu Kang has often embodied the typical qualities of a protagonist throughout the franchise. However, given that Scorpion serves as the franchise’s unofficial mascot and holds significant prominence within it, referring to him as anything other than a main character or protagonist seems somewhat unfair.

Based on the time of his demise, Scorpion can either be brought back to life through Quan Chi’s dark magic or emerge from Hell driven by an unyielding determination to exact revenge on Sub-Zero and those accountable for his family’s fate. He consistently reappears whenever there’s a prospect that he could eliminate Sub-Zero and avenge his kin.

Despite alterations to his background in Mortal Kombat 1, Scorpion’s character has consistently centered on his unwillingness to meet a permanent end or be kept in the realm of the deceased.

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2025-05-16 18:10